Apparatus for impregnating wood.



Patented Dec. 23, |902.

J.` L. FERRELL.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WDOD.

(Application filed June 20, 1901.)

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No. 7I6,4D0. Patented Dac. 23,` |902.

J.'L. FERRELL.

APPARATUS FUR IMPBEGNATING WOOD.

(Application lad June 20, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Patented Dec. 23, |902. J. L. FERRELL.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WDOD.

(Application filed June 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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J. L. Hamill;frm

APPARATUS FR IMPREGNATING WOOD.

(Application led June 20, 1901.)

(N0 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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JOSEPH L. FERRELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

.APPARATUS FOR HVPREGNATING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION formnglpart of Letters Patent No. 716,400, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed .Tune 20, 1901. Serial No. 65,232. (No model.)

To all whom, if nto/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. FERRELL, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Impregnating Wood with Fireproofing, Preservative, and other Reagents, whereof the following` is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is the object of my invention to provide an apparatus comprising a receptacle wherein a body of wood may be inclosed and impregnated by injecting a fluid reagent therethrough under pressure at one end thereof in the direction of the grain of the wood. It is characteristic of my present invention that said impregnating-receptacle is provided with means to seclude one end of a body of wood inserted therein, so that the pressure to which that portion of said body is subjected within said receptacle may be independently controlled.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter specified and claimed.

The particular employment of my apparatus which I at present contemplate is in connection with the iireproofing of wood, and I will therefore simplify the following description by adverting only to such use thereof, it being understood, however, that I do not therefore intend to limit my claims accordingly.

In the drawings, VFigure I is a side elevation of an apparatus conveniently embodying my invention. Fig. II is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. I. Fig. III is an elevational view of the left-hand end of said apparatus as shown in Fig. I. Fig. IV is a transverse sectional view taken on the line IV IV in Figs. I and II. Fig. V is a side elevation of an apparatus, showing a modied form of my invention. Fig. VI is a longitudinal sectional View of the apparatus shown in Fig. V. Fig. VII is an elevational view of the left-hand end of the apparatus as shown in Fig. V. Fig, VIII is a transverse sectional View taken on the line VIII VIII in Figs. V and VI. Fig. IX is a transverse sectional view taken on thev line IX IX in Figs. V and VI.

Referring to Figs. I to IV, inclusive, 1 is an impregnating-receptacle adapted to inclose a wooden body 2 within the space 3 and to seclude the end 4 of said body from said space 3 in exclusive communication with the space 5, so that a iiuid reagent may be injected in the end 6 of said body 2 from said space 3 through the grain-pores of the body 2 and be vented at the end 4 thereof while said body is surrounded by said fluid in the space 3. Said receptacle is provided with the port 7 for the space 3, which port opens into the pipe 8, controlled by the valve 9, and the port 10 for the space 5, which opens into the pipe 11, controlled by the valve 12. The space 3 is also in communication with the air-valve 13, leading to the atmosphere, and the space 5 is in communication with the valve 1-1, also leading to the atmosphere.

It is to be noted that the rapid injection of a fluid through the grain-pores of a Wooden body in the direction of the grain of the Wood has a tendency to open fissures in said body on the lines of the medullary rays, and the arrangement above described is advantageous in that the fluid reagent is not only injected in the end 6 of the body 2 in the direction of the grain-pores thereof, but also serves to hydrostatically compress the circumference of said body and prevent development of fissures therein during the process of injection.

The impregnating-receptacle 1 is mounted upon the standards 16 and provided with the removable lids 17 and 18. The lid 18 is secured in fluid-tight relation With the receptacle 1 by means of the swing-bolts 19, which are respectively pivoted at 20 between bearing-lugs 21 at the extremity of said receptacle. Said bolts 19 respectively register with the notches 22 in theperiphery of lid 18 and are provided with nuts 23, arranged to compress said lid 1S upon the receptacle 1. The space 5 is conveniently recessed in the lid 17, and the end et of the body 2 is secluded from the space 3 in exclusive communication with the space 5 by means of an annular septum, whose inner periphery is adjustable in fluid-tight relation with the circumference of said body 2, immediately adjacent to the end 4 thereof. As shown in Fig. II, said septum comprises a band of packing 25, arranged to be compressed IOO in the stuffing-box 26 by the follower-liange 27 upon the head 17. Said head 17 being removable is normally secured in position by means of the swing-bolts 23, which are respectively pivoted 29 between bearing-lugs 30 at the extremity of the receptacle 1. Said bolts 28 respectively register With'the notches n3l in the periphery of the lid 17 and are provided with nuts 32, by Which the proper adjustment of the lid may be effected With respect to said stuffing-box 26.

The body of Wood 2 is inserted and removed through the end of the receptacle 1 provided with the lid 18 and is conveniently supported by the roller 35, which is fixed to the shaft 36, mounted to rotate in the recess 37 in the bottom of said receptacle. Said shaft 36 extends through the stuffing-box 38 and is provided upon its outer extremity with the crank 39, by which the roller 35 may be conveniently actuated to shift the body 2. In order to prevent displacement of the body 2 Within the receptacle l under the duid-pressure to which it is subjected in the space 3, I provide the lid 17 With an adjustable abutment consisting of the thrust-plate 4l, Which is opposed to the end 4 of the body 2 and corrugated Aupon its face 42 to give free passage to the fluid. Said plate 41 is in swiveled connection with the thrust-bar 43, Which latter is entered through the stuffing-box 44 in the lid 17 in longitudinally-adj ust-able relation therewith. The outer extremity of said thrust-bar 43 is provided with the screw-thread 45, in engagement With the nut 46, which latter is fixed in the yoke 47, rigidly connected With lthe lid 17 by the bolts 43. Said thrust-bar being provided With the hand-Wheel 49, may be rotated in said nut 46, and thereby shifted in or out through the head 17.

The apparatus above described may be employed to impregnate a body of Wood by injecting a fluid reagent through its grain-pores under pressure at the end 6 thereof,A as follows: Both of the lids 17 and 18 being removed, a Wooden body2 is inserted in the receptacle 1, with its end 4 projecting through the stufiing-box 26. The lid 18 is then closed and compressed upon the receptacle 1 by the bolts 22 and nuts 23. The packing 25 (of hemp strands or other suitable material) is then disposed circumferentially around the body 2, and the thrust-bar 43 being Withdrawn thelid l7is placed in position, as shown in Fig. II, and said packing 25 compressed in Huid-tight relation with the circumference of the body 2 by rotation of the nuts 32 upon the bolts 28. Thereupon the hand-Wheel 49 is rotated and the thrust-bar 43 advanced through the lid 17 until the thrust-plate 41 abuts against the end 4 of said body 2. The parts aforesaid having been assembled as described, the air-valve 13 is opened to vent the space 3 Within the receptacle 1, and the air-valve 14 is opened to vent the space 5 in the lid 17. Thereupon any suitable reagent fluid-such, for instance, as an aqueous solution of metallic salt-is admitted through the valve 9 and port 7 to the space 3 Within the receptacle 1, and the atmospheric air is permitted to vent at the valve 13 until the receptacle is fully charged With the reagent Iiuid, Whereupon the valve 13 is closed, and the recess 5 being opened to discharge the liquid through the port 10 and the air through the valve 14 the continued injection of the reagent through the port 7 effects the distribution of said reagent from the end 6 of the Wooden body 2 through its grain-pores to the end 4 thereof, whereupon the air-valve 14 is closed. The fluid which is first emitted at the discharge end 4 of the Wooden body 2 comprises any fiuid previously existing in said body-such as Water of sap, ite-Which is driven forth by the incoming reagent. However, as soon as the liuid emitted from the grain-pores at the discharge end. 4 of the body 2 is of the full strength of the fluidv injected at the initial end 6 thereof further escape of said fluid through the port 10 is prevented by closure of the valve 12, and thereupon injection of the fluid being continued the latter is forced radially outward from the grain-pores through the surrounding cellular structure of the body 2 to the circumference of the latter.

The form of my invention above described is adapted for treatment of Wooden bodies which are of substantially cylindrical crosssection, the packing-band 25 being adjustable to the irregularities of contour of such bodies. However, in the treatment of polygonal bodies, such as railroad-ties, I find it desirable to provide a form of septum Whose inner perimeter may be varied to a greater eX- tent than said packing-band 25 per se. Therefore I have embodied,v such a septum in the form of my invention shown in Figs. V to IX, inclusive. The apparatus shown in Figs. V to IX, inclusive, is particularly adapted for the treatment of railroad-ties of standard dimensions,and as various elements thereof are similar to elements of the apparatus shown in Figs. I to IV, inclusive, before described, I shall not repeat the detailed description thereof, but shall merely designate such parts by similar reference-marks in the several figures of the drawings. The adjustable septum shown in Figs. VI and VIII -comprises the packing-band 25, supplemented by the segmental filling-pieces 51 of compressible material, such as rubber, interposed between said band and the adjacent flat faces 52 of the body 2, which latter is convenientlysupported upon the ledges 53, extending parallel With the longitudinal axis of the receptacle 1. It is to be understood that the filling-pieces aforesaid may be constructed of any required shape or dimensions to fit the particular polygonal body to be treated.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs.

IOO

IIO

I to IV, inclusive, the lid 17 is provided With slide-bearings 55, which are fitted to slide upon shafts 56, projecting parallel With the longitudinal axis ot' the receptacle 1 .from brackets 57,t`1xed upon said receptacle, the arrangement being such as to insure the proper registry of the lid with the receptacle. Said shafts 56 support the lid 17in opened position during the manipulation of the packing 25 by the operator, but retain the lid in alinement with the receptacle, a position somewhat inconvenient for the operator. Therefore I iind it desirable to support the lid 17 as shown in Figs. V to IX, inclusive, wherein the slide-bearing 59 upon the lid 17 is fitted to the shaft 60, Whose inner end is provided with the fulcrum-head 6l, fitted for oscillation upon the fulcrum-stud 62, which projects from the receptacle 1, as best -shown in Fig. IX. It is to be understood that in the latter form of my invention the head 17 may be Withdrawn upon the shaft 60 and also swung laterally away from the receptacle 1 by oscillation of said shaft 60 upon the stud 62, the relation of the parts being such as to bring the lid into position to register With the receptacle when said shaft 60 is returned parallel with the longitudinal axis of the receptacle.

During the conduct of certain processes of impregnation employing the apparatus above described I find it convenient to cleanse the end 6 of the body 2 from. any deposit which may have been formed thereon, and in order that such cleansing may be conveniently effected I provide the head 1S (shown in Fig. VI) with a port 65, which opens into the pipe 66, controlled by the valve 67, in communication with any convenient source of cleansing fluid.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the apparatus which I have chosen for illustration, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of means for opening and closing said receptacle; means within said receptacle arranged to seclude one-end of a polygonal body of `ivood inserted therein, comprising a band of packing extending circumferentially around said body, including filling-pieces forming a polygonal perimeter adjoining said body; means to compress said packing; means to inlet and outlet fluid With respect to said receptacle; and means to control the pressure of fluid at the secluded end of said body, independently of the remainder thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a lid in removable relation therewith; a slide-bearing in said lid; a shaft supported by said receptacle and extending through said slide-bearing; a thrust-bar entered through said lid; and means to adjust said bar longitudinally through said lid, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a lid in removable relation therewith; a slide-bearing in said lid; ashaft supported by said receptacle andextending through said slide-bearing; a thrust-bar entered through said lid; a thrust-plate mounted upon the inner extremity of said bar, in swiveled relation therewith; and means to adjust said bar longitudinally through said lid, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a lid in removable relation therewith; a slide-bearing in said lid; a shaft supported by said receptacle and extending through said slide-bearing; a thrust-bar entered through said lid; a nut fixed With respect to said lid in engagement with the screwthread upon said thrust-bar; and means to rotate said bar and thereby effect the longitudinal adjustment of said bar through said lid, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of means for opening and closing said receptacle, comprising removable lids detachably secured to the opposite ends thereof; an annular septum extending circumferentially around said receptacle adjacent to one of said lids; means to support a body of Wood within said receptacle With one end projecting through said septum; means arranged in the adjacent lid, to limit the extent of projection ot' said body through said septum; a fluid-port for the space surrounding said body Within said receptacle; means to control said port; a fluid-port for the space secluded by said septum; and means to control said port, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a lid in removable relation therewith; a slide-bearing in said lid; a fulcrum-stud iixed With respect to said receptacle; a shaft, mounted to oscillate on said stud and extending through said slide-bearing; a thrust bar entered through said lid; and means to adjust said bar longitudinally through said lid, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a lid in removable relation therewith; a slide bearing connection between said lid and said receptacle arranged to support said lid when the latter is opened; means arranged to seclude one end of a body of Wood inserted in said receptacle; and means to control the pressure of fluid at the secluded end of said body independently of the remainder thereof, substantially as set forth.

8. The combinationfwith an impregnatingreceptacle; of means for opening and closing said receptacle, comprising a removable lid; means Within said receptacle arranged to se- ICO clude one end of a body of Wood inserted of said body, independently ofthe remainder [o therein, comprising a band of packing exthereof, substantially as set forth. tending circumferentially around said body; In testimony whereof I have hereunto means to contract the inner perimeter of said signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 5 packing in opposition to the circumference Vania, this 17th day of June, 1901.

of said body, by adjustment of said recepta- JOSEPH L. FERRELL. cle-lid; means to inlet and outlet luid with Vitnesses: respect to said receptacle; and means to conl ARTHUR E. PAIGE, trol the pressure of fluid at the secluded end PHILIP PISTOR. 

